Steam generator



March 13, 1962 w. E. PICKERING STEAM GENERATOR 2 Sheets-Smet 1 FiledFeb. 9, 1959 IN V EN TOR.

WALTER E. PICKERING BY ATTORNEY March 13, 1962 w. E. PICKERING STEAMGENERATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9. 1959 WCM @v @AW oh w muy vmim,DNI' w QW @w Nm mh FMICDO m q .ml'w BMI mm m 0E mw vm.. O

@om uw y wm m. .GC mv) @OQ @v uw my@ ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 13, 1952thee of trays.

would heat `a tray or or reservoir which sulation. A bare the form of acoil wire submerged in the water. electrical heating element ly.

new and improved steam of FIGURE 2.

along line '3 3 of FIGURE along line `4-4 of FIGURE 5 of the steamgenerating reservoir.

FIGURE is a horizontal cross sectional view taken along line 5 5 ofFIGURE 4 of the steam generating reservoir.

for the new and improved steam generator.

This invention relates to steam generators and more particu arly to aninstantaneous electric stem generator One of the objects of the presentinvention is to convert a continuous quantity of water at reservoirtemperature to a continuous supply of steam in a very few minu es.

Another object of the present invention is to convert fifty gallons ofcold water pounds of steam pressure in less than three tlme.

Another object of the portable instantaneous can be pluged into a sourceof electric current and Water supply for producing commercial quantitiesof steam for hospital ment and for industrial use plastic tilm or thecleaning etc.

into one hundred twenty five minutes of present invention is to providea electric steam generator which emergency operating use such assterilizing equipsuch as stripping paint, grease,

of floors, spare parts motors,

Other objects of the present invention will be pointed out in part andbecome apparent in part in the following specification and claims.

In the past instant steam generators comprised a series had a heatingelement which was the liquid. The heating elements pan to produce vapor.

The present structure provides a metal water container is porcelainizedto create complete inelectrical heating element may take spring. Thecoil wire spring is Upon energization the hot open generates steam,instantaneous- Like reference numerals refer to like parts in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a transverse cross sectional view of the generator takenalong line 1 1 45 FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view or" FIGURE 1.FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional View taken FIGURE 4 is avertical cross sectional View taken 50 FIGURE 6 is a vertical crosssectional View through 55 the heating element connection, taken alongline 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a wiring diagram of the control circuit FIGURE 8 is a pipediagram of the water circuit for 60 e new and improved steam generator.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURES 1 and 2 disclose an open faceportable cabinet generally indicated by reference character 10,consisting of a lloor 11, a left side 12, a right side 13, a back 14 and17, r18 are rotatively secured to door 11.

a top 15. Casters 16, 65

The nub of the invention is a steam generating res- .are xed to metalrods 30, 30A,

URES 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, metal container 21 provided with a flange 22 isfabricated with a porcelain coating on both the inside 23 and outside24. A water inlet 25 is provided in the base of metal container 21. Ametal cover 26 is fabricated with a porcelain coating on both the topsurface 27 and bottom surface 28. Thus it will be noted that steamgenerating reservoir 20 is porcelainized throughout in order toelectrically insulate it.

Two brackets 30, 31, secured to floor 11 support and secure steamgenerating reservoir 20 within open face portable cabinet 10.

A plurality of metal rods 30, 30A, 30B, etc., fabricated from brass,stainless steel or other metal are xed in spaced relation to metal cover26 and project downward into steam generating reservoir 20, just shortof the bottom. A plurality of porcelain insulators 31, 31A, etc.,

etc., in numbers presently to be explained.

An electrical heating element 32 fabricated from eighty percent nickeland twenty percent chromium alloy or any other electrically conductivewire, comprises a wire wound in loops in coil spring fashion. Electricalheating element 32 is wound from one porcelain insulator 31 to the nextadjacent porcelain insulator. The process is repeated until the desiredlength of electrical heating element 32 is provided in steam generatingreservoir 20. The opposite ends of electrical heating element 32 aresecured to terminals generally indicated at 33, 34 secured and insulatedin cover 26. It will be noted that heating element 32 is non-insulatedelectrically.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 6, terminal 33, consists of a stud 46 whichextends through cover 26 and includes a ceramic insulator bushing 41,and a metallic nut 42. An electrical conductor 43 and one end ofelectrical heating element 32 are secured to stud 40 on opposite sidesof cover 26 by means of nut 42. Terminal 34 is similarly constructed andprovided with electrical conductor 44 which is the counterpart ofconductor 43 and extends to the other end of electrical heating element32 through the cover 26.

A conduit 36 constitutes the Water inlet. Conduit 36 is provided with amanually operated shut oit valve 46, a lter 47, a solenoid valve 48 anda check valve 58. Conduit 36 divides into two branches 50, 51 at Tconnection 49. Branch conduit 50 attaches to Water inlet 2S of steamgenerating reservoir 20. Water inlet 25 is provided with porcelaininsulation to electrically insulate the connection of branch conduit 50.

A ball float reservoir 52 is located adjacent to steam generatingreservoir 20 with the base of each in a horizontal plane so that thewater level of the steam generating reservoir 20 is exactly the same asthe water level in ball float reservoir 52. A glass water gauge 53 isattached to ball float reservoir 52 to permit a visual reading of thewater level in both the ball float reservoir 52 and the steam generatingreservoir 20. Branch conduit 51 of water inlet conduit 36 is attached tothe base of ball float reservoir 52 `and is provided with a drain valve54.

Steam generating reservoir 2t) is provided with a steam outlet which isporcelainized to electrically insulate conduit 61 having a T tting 62. Asafety valve 38, provided with a safety valve steam outlet conduit 37,is connected to conduit 61. A conduit 63 attached to a T fitting 59located in conduit 61 is connected to an extension of glass water gauge53 and to the top of ball float reservoir 52 through a T fitting `65. Awater pressure gauge 66 is attached to the extension of glass watergauge 53. Steam outlet conduit 61 is provided with a manually operatedhand valve 67. A steam pressure gauge 68 is connected to steam outletconduit 61.

spear-asi A ball tloat 7) (see FIGURE '7) located in ball floatreservoir y52, lactuates a Water switch 7l which controls solenoid valve4S.

A panel control box '72 secured to left side 12 and floor lll isprovided with a manually operated on-o switch 73, a magnetic relay 74and a source of electric supply L1, L2, L3.

A pressure control switch 76 and temperature thermostat control 77mercury switches are housed in a casing 73 attached to ball iioatreservoir 52. These controls are used to set the pressure andtemperature of the steam generated.

in operation the new and improved steam generator functions as follows.Let it be assumed that water at a proper level is in steam generatingreservoir Ztl. On-oif switch 73 located in panel control box 72, ismanually moved from ofi to on position. Electrical current (110 v.)(FiGURE 7) will flow from Ll to and through pressure control switch 76which is normally closed, to and through temperature thermostat control77, to magnetic relay 73, which will close switch 90 and initiate theenergization of circuit Ll, L3 which is 220 V. and thereby energizeheating element 32. Heating element 32 being of open electricallyconductive wire will become hot. The water surrounding the heatingelement will absorb the heat and thereby produce steam. Steam pressure'gauge ed will register the steam pressure.

Should an operative fail to turn valve 67 to release the steam toconduit 6l, safety valve 38 will automatically blow ofi at apredetermined setting.

As the water level in steam generating reservoir drops through steamconversion, ball oat 70 will also drop. At a predetermined setting balloat 70 will close water switch 71 and thereby energize solenoid valve4S, whereby water from water inlet 35 will automatically 'l'ow intosteam generating reservoir Z0 and into ball float reservoir S2. Therebyactuating ball float 70 to open water switch 71 to deenergize solenoidvalve 4S and thereby shut off the water supply from water inlet 36.

Drain valve 54- and strainer 47 are provided to insure the removal offoreign matter from steam generating reservoir 20. Such foreign mattercould cause a short circuit in steam Igenerating reservoir 20 and burnup heating element 32.

Temperature thermostat control 77 is provided to prevent heatingeleinent 32 from burning up should the water level in steam generatingreservoir 2G be too low or should water be absent. Temperaturethermostat control 77 normally closed will open at a predetermined(cverheated) temperature and thereby break the electrical circuitbetween L'l and L2, thereby deenergizing magnetic relay 74 which willcause switch 90 to open. Thereby breaking the 220 v. circuit to theheating element 32.

Pressure control switch 76 set at a predetermined (high) temperaturewill likewise open and cause the electrical functions just described forthe temperature thermostat control 77. The high temperature may indicatea lack of water in steam generating reservoir Ztl or excessive steampressure.

The check valve 58 prevents water in steam generating reservoir Ztl andball float reservoir 52 from flowing backward through water inlet 36especially when drain valve 54 is opened to drain said reservoirs ofsediment and dirt.

Having shown and described a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, by way of example, it should be realized that structuralchanges could be made and other examples given without departing fromeither the spirit or scope of this invention.

What l claim is:

l. A steam generator comprising in combination: a metal steam generatingreservoir electrically insulated by means of a coating of porcelain onthe inner and outer surfaces, a water inlet opening electricallyinsulated by means of porcelainizing located in the bottom of said steamgenerating reservoir, a steam outlet opening electrically insulated bymeans of porcelainizing located in the top section of said steamgenerating reservoir, a water inlet conduit connected to said steamgenerating reservoir at said water inlet opening, electrically operatedactuating means in said water inlet conduit controlling the water levelin said steam generating reservoir, an uninsulated electrical heatingelement located in said steam generating reservoir, said uninsulatedelectrical heating element being insulated from said steam generatingreservoir, the opposite ends of said heating element passing throughsaid steam generating reservoir and to a source of electrical current,water in said steam generating reservoir serving to absorb the heat inthe uninsulated electrical heating element to convert the water intosteam.

2. A steam generator comprising in combination: an electricallyinsulated steam generating reservoir provided with an electricallyinsulated water inlet opening and an electrically insulated steam outletopening, a ball iloat reservoir provided with a ball float, a waterinlet conduit connected to both said electrically insulated water inletand to said ball tloat reservoir, a solenoid valve, operativelyconnected to said ball float, located in said water iniet conduit tocontrol the water level in said electrically insulated steam generatingreservoir, a steam outlet conduit connected to said electricallyinsulated steam outlet opening, a valve in said steam outlet conduitcontrolling the opening in said steam outlet conduit, a noninsulatedelectrical heating element secured in and electrically insulated fromsaid electrically insulated steam generating reservoir, an electricalcircuit provided with an on-otl switch, said noninsulated electricalheating element and said solenoid valve under control of said balltloat, whereby when said switch is in on position and said ball iloat isin selected position said heating element submerged in water wherebysaid water will be converted into steam.

3. A steam generator comprising in combination: an electricallyinsulated steam -generating reservoir having water inlet and steamoutlet openings, a solenoid valve connecting said electrically insulatedwater inlet to a water source, and including ball float operatedactuating means therefor, an electrically operated water heating elementconsisting of a spirally wound exposed electric wire located andinsulated in said electrically insulated steam generating reservoir, atemperature control switch, and an electric circuit including in seriessaid heating element, said temperature control switch and said solenoidvalve, to control the application of power to said heating element andto control the ow of water to said electrically insulated steamgenerating reservoir in accordance with a predetermined temperaturesetting and a predetermined water level in said electrically insulatedsteam Igenerating reservoir.

4. A steam generator comprising in combination: a steam generatingreservoir electrically insulated and having water inlet and steam outletopenings, a valve connecting said electrically insulated water inlet toa water source, and including electrically operated actuating meanstherefor, a ball float reservoir having a ball ioat, said ball floatoperatively connected to said electrically operated actuating means, anelectrically operated steam generating heating element, means toelectrically insulate said heating element within said steam generatingreservoir, an on-off switch, a pressure control switch, a temperaturethermostatic switch, a magnetic relay, a iirst electric circuitincluding in series said electrically operated actuating rneans for saidvalve, said on-off switch, said pressure control switch, saidtemperature thermostatic switch and said magnetic relay, and a secondelectric circuit including in series a second switch and said eatingelement, whereby at a predetermined water level in said steam generatingreservoir said on-o switch in on position will control the applicationof electric power to said second switch and to said heating element togenerate steam, said ball oat through said electrically operatedactuating means controlling the ow of water through said valve from saidwater source to said water inlet and said pressure control switch andtemperature thermostatic switch at predetermined settings breaking saidfirst electric circuit and through said second switch stopping the flowof electric power to said heating element.

5. A steam generator comprising in combination: a metal steam generatingreservoir having water inlet and steam outlet openings, electricallyinsulated by means of a porcelain coating, a solenoid valve connectingsaid water inlet to a water source, a ball float reservoir, positionedin a horizontal water plane level with said steam generating reservoir,a water switch attached to said ball oat reservoir, a ball oat pivotallymounted in said ball oat reservoir and operatively engaged with saidwater switch, an electrical heating element, means to electricallyinsulate and secure said electrically positive heating element in saidsteam generating reservoir, a first electric circuit provided with anon-oft switch, a pressure control switch, a temperature control switch,a magnetic relay, said solenoid valve and said water switch, a secondelectric circuit having a second switch and said electrical heatingelement, whereby at a predetermined water level in said ball floatreservoir and said steam generating reservoir, the on position of saidon-off switch will control the flow of electric power to said secondswitch and to said electrical heating element and thereby generatesteam, said ball lioat controlling the water level in said steamgenerating reservoir through said water switch and said solenoid valve,said pressure control switch controlling said rst electric circuit inresponse to the steam pressure generated in said steam generatingreservoir, Said temperature control switch controlling said firstelectric circuit in response to temperature in said steam generatingreservoir, whereby interruption of said first electric circuit by saidon-oif switch, said pressure control switch, said temperature controlswitch deenergizes said second switch through said magnetic relay, todeenergize said electrical heating element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS782,525 Shoenberg Feb. 14, 1905 1,468,722 Macy Sept. 25, 1923 1,480,l74Matthews Jan. 8, 1924 2,623,153 McGinnis Dec. 23, 1952 2,886,689 GarthMay l2, 1959

